1. Field
This application relates to a fluid flow control device and in particular to a fluid flow control valve. The device will act as a check valve for the free flow of fluid from a broken sprinkler device.
2. Prior Art
Overhead irrigation systems, such as fire sprinklers or water sprinklers for outside usage, by nature are vulnerable to damage by outside forces. These irrigations systems are usually connected to an under ground supply line, by means of a riser/connector, extending them several inches out from the ground. The sprinkler head may or may not be movable. Usually the most susceptible part of the sprinkler to break is the sprinkler head, since it extends the farthest from the ground. During normal operational conditions the fluid will be forced out through the sprinkler head and it will create a fluid spray enlarging the area irrigated by the sprinkler. At the same time the sprinkler head will create a back pressure which allows the remaining sprinklers to perform in the same manner. When a sprinkler head or the entire sprinkler is broken, fluid is allowed to flow freely. As a result, it inhibits the irrigation system from performing properly.
Currently there are several flow control devices that attempt to stop the free flow of fluid from a broken sprinkler, but they have proven to be inadequate or too complicated, i.e. too many components.
Flow control devices that require springs are very unreliable and unpredictable since they require a constant fluid pressure along the supply line. If the pressure in the supply line is too small the device may not stop the free flow of fluid from a broken sprinkler. On the contrary, if the pressure is too high the device will close during normal operational conditions. Other devices will only stop the free flow of fluid from a broken sprinkler head, but if the sprinkler is broken from its base, the flow control device will not perform adequately and it will allow fluid to flow freely.
Further deficiencies with previous flow control devices include the premature shut off of the flow control device. This is due to the combination of air and water that is present in the supply line when the irrigation system is initially turned on.
Devices that are too complicated, i.e. too many components, are usually to costly, difficult to fabricate, and maintain. For example, flow control devices that require ball housings are fabricated with several components that have to be attached permanently. This process can be costly to fabricate and very difficult to repair if there is a malfunction with the ball housing or the ball. Another example is devices that require springs and or metal components. These components corrode over time due to their contact with the fluid in service and they require a great deal of maintenance which over time may not be cost effective. Further problems with the spring devices is that a wide range of springs need to be manufactured in order to accommodate to the different pressures that can be found in various irrigation systems, thus making these devices costly to fabricate.